Car-coupling.



G. H. GILBERT.

CAR GOUPLING.

n Ammann@ vFILED AUG. 6, 1914,

1,126,979, y Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

w/TNEssEs Z 06. 6a l l nvm/rol? Wm Mm? ,W 'mm/VU the rail causing derailment, or in actually overturning the My invention has for its object the overcoming ci? this objectionable' and dangeous condition by providing the locomotive and cars of a train with couplings so constructed as to permit entire freedom lof movement in a rotary direction between the car body and the draw bars or couplings, so as to preclude the possibility of torsionals'train or stress being exerted from the locomotive or one car to another car, and to permit each nnit'or the train connected 'by such couplings 4to independently take such inclined positions as the road bed and the speed and mass of the car tends to produce without affecting in any way the position of the adjacent car or cars, and relieving the couplings throughout the entire train of torsional stress. I also prefer to provide the couplings with yielding means which tend to hold the couplerheads in normal position with respect to' the car for coupling purposes, but without being of suliicient strength to exert any appreciable torsional strain on the car body, while permitting the car to freely twist or partially rotate on the longitudinal axis of the coupler shank and draw bar, in either direction, the cou- :1" i pler shank and draw bar remaining at all times in substantially normal position.

In carrying out my invention it is essential that the coupler head or the draw bar shall be connected to the railway vehicle'by` what is practically a swivel joint, the axis of which extends longitudinally of the vehicle, so lthat a perfectly free movement in 'i a lrotary directionl around such axis of swi'velii'ig may take place between the coupling and the vehicle.

"n F'gs. 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawing, I have'shownrmy invention embodied in a car couplinor of known general construction but so modified as to embody my invention and effectits novel results.

In Fig.1 I have shown in dottedv lines two cars of a train at A and B connected by my improved couplings, and, as the couplings ai'e'dentical in' structure, a description of coupling, 1 represents a metallic frame formed ci side bars, 2-2, and spacing blocks 3, 3, constituting a frame suitable to be attached to the under side of the car body and support the mechanism of the coupling. 4 represents a longitudinally disposed draw bar provided with cylindrical portions whichone will sutlice for both. In this form of' bifurcated portion 8, which receives the reduced end of the shank 9, of the coupler head to which it is secured b a pivotal connec-v tion 10. The shank 9 1s provided with a coupler head 11, which may be of any well known' or preferred construction, and, as the specific construction of this coupler head forms no part of my present invention, I will not specifically describe the same. Itis necessary that the coupler heads shallmove laterally in swinging around curves and the pivotal connection 10 between the shankand the draw bar permits the lateral swing of the coupler head in either direction, while, as before stated, the coupler head can be rotated in either direction as the draw bar is swiveled in the manner previously described in its bearings in the spacing blocks 3,-3.

j In order to hold the coupler head 11, in a central position and also 'in 'a normal or horizontalA osition torsionally to facilitate coupling w en cars are brought together to be coup` ed, I have shown, lin the form of my inventlon illustrated in Fi s. 1, 2, and 3, the

4following mechanism, alt ough I do not limit myself thereto. In this instance, the shank 9, ofthe coupler head is rovided with a vertically disposed boss, or b ock 12, which extends above and below the shank and is preferably provided with vertically disposed plane lateral faces. On opposite sides of the 4boss 12, are provided laterally yielding vertically disposed pressure plates 13, 13, each of which 1s provided in'this instance with a pair of supporting studs, 14, having reduced portions 15, extending into recesses in the supportin frame 1, inA this instance formed in bloc 16, 16,-secured to the side frames 2, 2, b screws or bolts, the said studs being provi ed at .their outer ends with threaded portions provided with nuts 17. Within the recesses 1n the blocks 16 are provided light springs'18, interposed between the ends of the recesses and the shoulders of, the studs, which tend to normally hold the plates 13 in vengagement with the opposite sides of the boss 12, thus servin two functions, to wit: holding the coup er head 11 centrally with res ct to the car or vehicle,

and also horizonta ly so that two cars can be readily brought together and coupled in the usual manner. It will be obvious that the coupler head may bemoved laterally to the'` right or left, thereby compressing one or the other set of springs 18, and it will also be apparent that, as indicated in dotted lines 1n 2, the car can assume any desired angular position about the axis of the coupler head without causing any rotation of the coupler head, which always vremains in its normal position. When the car rocks with respect to the longitudinal axis of the coupling the plates 13 will recede, one being pressed'outwardly by the upper end of the niaaevo other below the longitudinal axis of the shank, as shown and this provides the most eiiicient construction for maintaining the coupler head in normal position against lateral and torsional movement.

In using my coupling each car of a train is entirely free to incline transversely to ac' commodate the road bed over which it is passing without affecting the couplings between it andthe next adjacent car or cars and without exerting any torsional stress on adjacent cars. Thus in I ig. 1 car A is shown on a straightway portion of thev as bein track w ile the car B is on the'curved portion of the track, the outer rail of which is higher than the inner rail. The car B will obviously be tilted inwardly, as indicated in the drawing, thus tilting the, coupling frame l, while the coupler head itself remains in substantially the saine position it would oc. cupy if the car'liad not listed. It will be noted that in the case of ca r A the inner spring actuated pressure plate 13 has yielded to accommodate the movement of the coupler head laterally while in the case of car B both ,plates 1-3 have yielded to accommodate both the lateral swing of the coupler head and a' torsionaldisplaeement between the two cars.

In Fier. 4C I have shown a slight .modification of my invention, in which the construction isexactly the same as that pre viously described except that the bosshere indicated at 12Et is located upon thedraw bar 4a instead of being located on the shank olf the coupler head as in Figs. 1, 2, and 5:3, the plates 13 (which do not show in this figure) being located in line with the boss 12a and acting in conjunction therewith exactly in the same manner as indicated in F ig. Q.

Iii F ig. 5 I have shown a slight modification of my invention, in which the boss 12 and yielding pressure plates 13, 13, and their connections `are dispensed with. In this construction the draw bai' 4h is cylindricaland mounted iu cylindrical bearings as in the other figures previously described. and is provided with the central collar or boss 5b Aand the cushioning o r compression springs'G and 7" have their ends constructed to engage the boss 5rJ and one ot the beaiinghlocks or spacing blocks I3" rcspectively, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, so that the springs perform both the compressing cushioning function and also the function of holding the coupler head in its normal position for coupling.v The coupler head '11b is provided in this instance with a plain shank 9b and if found desirable suitable cross plates 20, 2O may be inserted between or swiveling with respect the side plates 2 of the Jframe 1*1 to prevent vertical displacement of the coupler head as indicated in Fig. 5. These plates, however, will not interfere with the lateral movenientof or rotation of the shank, which is cylindrical in shape, or, in other words, circular in cross section.

In F ig. 6 I have shown another modiiication of my improved coupling in which the draw bar ac is also circular in cross section and mounted in cylindrical bearings in the spacing blocks 3 interposed between the side plates Qc-of the supporting frame 1. In

`tliisinstance I vhave shown the draw bar provided with a central boss 5 having at each end thereof annular portions of reduced diameter forming shoulders 2l and the spacing blocks 3 are provided witlnsimilar shoulders 22 on their inner faces. I\n thisV instance I have shown light spiral springs 23,' 23 interposed between the shoulders 21 and 22 and having their ends connected thereto for the purpose of maintaining the coupler head in normal positionwith respect to the car, for coupling. And

-I have shown heavier cushioning or compression springs Gc and 7, interposed between the boss 5C and the bearing blocks 3c and surrounding the shoulders 21, 22, for

cushioning the draw bar in both directions 9 ljlso the longitudinally. Inithis instance coupler head 1lc is provided with 'a plain cylindrical shankv 9c held against vertical l movements by the guiding plates 20, 20. v

In all the 'forms of the invention herein shown and described, it will be seen that while the 4coupler head is free tomove lar` erally, it is at all times capable of twisting to the car body with which it is connected, so that the car body may .assume different angular posi-` tions without affecting the coupler head and without transmitting torsional stress to an adjacent car or unit of the train, suitable yielding means being provided before stated, to maintain the coupler head in its normal position for. coupling.

That I claim and desire to secure by LettersPatent is 1- 1. The combination, with a railway vehicle, of a coupler head provided at `its outer end with a. couplingjaw adapted to automatically couple with the corresponding jaw of the coupler head of another veliicle without torsional movement and constructed to prevent torsional movement between it and the jaw which it engages.

and connections between the coupler head and the vehicle constructed to permit at all times longitudinal yielding movement in both directions of the coupler head and lateral movement of the coupler head, said connections being' constructed to permit free torsional movement at all times bctween the. coupler head and the vehicle,

iofmg autmaticall Y --the vehicle constructed to permit at all times longitudinal yielding movement vin both directions of the coupler head and lateral movement of the coupler head, said connections being constructed to permit -free torsional movement at all times between the cou ler head and the vehicle, whereby the vehicle is free at all times to take any transverse inclination without transmitting torsional-strain to the coupler head or to -another vehicle with which itmay be coupled, and ieldin means interposed between the coup er hea and the vehicle for normally maintaining the coupler head i termined relation with the vehicle to faciliprovided constructed tate coupling. l I

3. The combination with a coupler head` at its outer end with 4a coupling jaw adapted to automatically engage with' and couple to the corresponding' jaw of the coupling head of an adjacent vehicle with- Aout torsional 'movement of the coupler head and constructed to prevent torsional movement between it and the jaw which it engages, a longitudinally movable draw bar having a vertical pivotal connection with the coupler movement of the coupler head, 'connections between the draw'bar and the vehicle including springs for cushioning the longitudinal' movement of the draw bar in both directions, said draw bar being swiveled longitudinally with respect to said connections, and yielding devices interposed between the vehicle and parts connected with the coupler headfor normally maintaining the coupler head in a predetermined position toi'- sionally with respect tothe vehicle to facilitate coupling, whereby the vehicle'is free at all times to take any transverse inclination without transmitting torsional strain to the coupler head or to another vehicle withV which it may be coupled.

at. The combination with a railway vehicle of a coupler head. draft mechanism.

connecting the saine with the vehicle and to permit the coupler head to move freely with respect to the vehicle in a rotar direction, yielding mechanism for maintaining the coupler head in a predetermned position torsionally with 'respect of a coupler head provided at its i vehicle andv operatively Vconnecte yieldingly supported Vposite sides of said in a. prede- 'projecting portions extending head to permit ,the lateral` Lilien.

to'lhef vehicle, and comprising a part e'x-` 5. The combination with a railway vei hicle of a coupler head, draft mechanism connected tothe vehicle and to said coupler head and including a' rotarily mounted part disposed longitudinally with res with said ect to the cou er head,.a boss connected with said rotari y mounted part and having portions extending opposite sides of the same; and

lates located on oposs for maintaining said coupler head in a predetermined position torsionallywith reference to the vehicle. Y

6. The combination with a railway vehicle of a draft frame, a longitudinally disposed draw bar mounted therein and'capable of rotationabout its'longtudi'nal axis,

. cushioning devices engaging said draw bar, a coupler head connected with said draw bar and capable of rotary movement with the draw bar with respect tothe vehicle, said coupler head having a shank provided with below the same, and laterally disposed yielding plates on opposite sides of said projecting portions, for maintaining the coupler head in normal position for coupling. l

7. The combinationl with a railway vehicle, of a draft `frame, a longitudinally disposed draw bar mounted therein and capable of rotation about its longitudinal axis, cushioning devices engaging said draw bai', a coupler head connectedwith said draw bar and capable of rotary movement with the above and draw bar 'with respect to the vehicle,.said coupler head having a shank provided with projecting portions extending above and be'- low the saine, and laterally disposed yielding plates on opposite sides of said projecting portions, each of said plates being provided with springs of said shank, whereby the coupler will be maintained normally in a predetermined;v

position against lateral and torsional movement with respect to the vehicle.

8. The combination with a railway vehiele of a draft frame, a longitudinally disposed drawbar mounted therein and capable oi' rotation about its longitudinal axis, and of longitudinal movement with respect to above and below the axis said frame, springs operatively connected with said drawbartor cushioning its longitudinal movement in ,both directions, a coupler head connectedv with said drawbar by a pivotal 'connection havin a vertical airis, to permit the free lateraf movement at` all times of the coupler head, said coupler head being construotedto'couple with the coupler 18 naaste l head of another tehiole9 T,t/ii'zlnnn; torsional.

of the frame, cushioning springs interposed" between the frame and said drawbar for eusliioning its longitudinal movement in both directions, a coupler head Connected with said drawbar by a pivotal connection having a vertical axisato permit the lateral niet/ement of the coupler inea-tl, said sont: need' being constructed to eoupie wit tire eonpler head of another vehicle Without tor sional moven ent, and constructed to prei/ent Y torsional nioveznent between Aitv and the engaged coupler head, and yielding devices l operatively connected with said coupler head tor maintaining the coupler head in normal relation torsionally with respect to the vvehicle, to facilitate coupling Without interfering with the torsional movement of the vehicle with respect to the ooupler head and drawbar o1' the lateral movement of the coupler head.

- in testimony whereof alix my signature,

in the presence o" two Witnesses.

GEORGE H. GILBERT.

Witnesses: f

CHARLES H. WEISS, Geenen zaHlnnuAN.4 

